A few teachers went to his Palo Alto home that afternoon to check on him. They peeked through the window where they saw him lying on the floor. After calling 9-1-1-, emergency services personnel determined Scott passed away of natural causes, likely while he was getting ready for work.

Scott first began working for Palo Alto Unified School District in 1985. He left for a few years to work for Apple, but returned as a science teacher in 1998.